Suspect arrested in Cumilla over gang-rape on election day

Henchu Majhi, 29, was arrested from Daudkandi in Cumilla on Friday morning, said Md Abul Khair, officer-in-charge of the detective branch of district police.

He hails from Madhyambagya village of Charjubli Union in Noakhali’s Subornachar Upazila, where a woman was gang-raped in the night following the general election on Dec 30. So far 11 suspects have been arrested in the case.

Henchu’s involvement in the gang-rape has been proven in investigation and by his own confession even though he was not named in the case, police said.

“Henchu fled the village after the incident and began working as bus driver’s assistant on the Dhaka-Chattogram route. After receiving a tip-off, detectives arrested him in a raid,” said OC Abul Khair.

Police will produce Henchu in court to plead for his remand in custody, he added.

The victim in her forties said she and her family were attacked by a gang of 10-12 men because an argument she had with ruling Awami League supporters on voting day.

The attackers broke into their home and beat up her husband and tied him up with their school-going daughter inside the house. She was dragged outside where she was repeatedly raped and beaten severely.

The victim said the attackers were ‘accomplices’ of Ruhul Amin, then publicity secretary of the Subornachar wing of the Awami League. Amin has since been arrested and expelled from the ruling party.

She had earlier complained to Deputy Inspector General of Police Khandaker Golam, who was visiting her at Noakhali Sadar Hospital on Jan 2, about Ruhul Amin not being recorded as a suspect in the case with the Char Jabbar Police.

The following night Ruhul was arrested while he was hiding at a poultry farm at Noakhali Sadar Upazila.

Medical tests have confirmed the assault on the victim.

Of those arrested, Ruhul Amin, Hasan Ali Bulu, Badshah Alam Basu, Jasim Uddin, Md Sohel, Swapan, Bechu and Murad have been taken in for five days of remand in police custody.